August 31, 2020 - The 3rd round of the Croatian First League was held from August 28 to 30, 2020. This round saw Dinamo top Osijek 4:1, and Hajduk and Belupo draw at Poljud. The 3rd round was played without the presence of spectators. 

Gorica v. Sibenik (3:2)

Gorica and Sibenik opened the third round of the Croatian First League on August 28, 2020, in Velika Gorica. 

Mudrinski opened the scoring for Gorica with a goal in the third minute for 1:0. Bulat had the chance to equalize in the 45th minute though he missed a penalty. 

Lovric increased Gorica's lead to 2:0 in the 65th minute, and Babec made it 3:0 in the 75th. Rak scored in the 87th minute for 3:1, and Anocic in the third minute of added time for the final score of 3:2. 

Gorica is currently in 2nd place with 9 points, while Sibenik is in 9th place with 0. 

Rijeka v. Istra 1961 (2:1)

Rijeka and Gorica met on August 29, 2020, at Rujevica Stadium in Rijeka. 

Andrijasevic scored the first goal of the game in the 13th minute for the 1:0 at the half. Andrijasevic scored again in the 69th minute for 2:0, though Guzina got one for Istra in the 70th for the final score of 2:1. 

Rijeka is currently in 4th place with 6 points, while Istra is in the last place with 0 points. 

Hajduk v. Slaven Belupo (2:2)

Hajduk and Belupo met on Saturday, August 29, 2020, at Poljud Stadium in Split.

Krstanovic scored a Belupo penalty in the 38th minute for 0:1 at the half. Diamantakos scored in his Hajduk debut for 1:1 in the 52nd minute. 

Gyursco put Hajduk in the 2:1 lead in the 65th minute, though Bacelic-Grgic equalized for 2:2 six minutes later. Jairo received a double-yellow in the 85th minute, forcing Hajduk to play with a man down for the remainder of the match. 

Hajduk is currently in 3rd place with 8 points, while Belupo is in 7th with 2 points. 

Varazdin v. Lokomotiva (1:1)

Varazdin and Lokomotiva met on Sunday, August 30, 2020, at NK Varteks Stadium. 

Mehdikhani scored just before the half for 1:0 Varazdin. However, an own goal by Rodin made it 1:1 in the 49th minute, which was the final score of the game. 

Varazdin is currently in 5th place with 4 points, while Lokomotiva is in 6th with 4. 

Dinamo v. Osijek (4:1)

Dinamo and Osijek closed out the 3rd round at Maksimir Stadium on Sunday, August 31, 2020.

Gavranovic opened the scoring spree for Dinamo with a goal in the 5th minute for 1:0. Majstorovic missed a penalty for Osijek right before the half. 

Grezda equalized in the 48th minute for 1:1, though Ademi put Dinamo back in the lead with a goal in the 71st minute. Two penalties secured Dinamo's victory - one by Andric in the 81st and Tolic in the 86th. 

Dinamo is currently in 1st place with 9 points, while Osijek is in 8th with 1.

You can see the full HNL table here. 

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August 24, 2020 - The 2nd round of the Croatian First League was held from August 21 to 23, 2020. This round saw big wins for Lokomotiva, Dinamo and Hajduk.

Lokomotiva v. Rijeka (1:0)

Lokomotiva and Rijeka opened the 2nd round on Friday, August 21, 2020, in Zagreb. 

The first half went without goals, and it wasn't until the 53rd minute that Halilovic scored the only goal of the game for the Lokomotiva win. 

Lokomotiva is currently in 6th place with 3 points, while Rijeka is in 4th with 3 points. 

Istra 1961 v. Dinamo (0:1)

Istra and Dinamo met at Aldo Drosini Stadium in Pula on Friday, August 21, 2020. 

After another scoreless first half, a double yellow for Kastrati saw Dinamo play with a man down from the 57th minute. Nevertheless, a Dinamo penalty was scored by Bruno Petkovic in the 87th minute for the 0:1 win.

Istra is currently in the last place with 0 points, while Dinamo is in first place with 6 points. 

Slaven Belupo v. Gorica (1:2)

Belupo and Gorica met in Koprivnica on Saturday, August 22, 2020. 

While Belupo was the first to score with a goal by Glavcic seconds before halftime, two late goals by Mudrinski in the 86th and 93rd minutes gave Gorica the win. 

Belupo is currently in 8th place with 1 point, while Gorica is in 2nd with 6 points. 

Sibenik v. Varazdin (0:1)

Sibenik and Varazdin met on Saturday, August 22, 2020, at Subicevac Stadium in Sibenik. 

After Sibenik's Spanja received a red card in the 85th minute, Varazdin scored a late game-winner thanks to Benko in the 89th minute. The game ended 0:1.

Sibenik is currently in 9th place with 0 points, while Varazdin is in 5th place with 3. 

Osijek v. Hajduk (1:2)

Osijek and Hajduk closed out the 2nd round on Sunday, August 23, 2020, at City Garden Stadium. 

Hajduk was the first to score thanks to a header by Jairo in the 34th minute. A Caktas penalty two minutes later put Hajduk up 0:2 in the 36th minute. Jugovic scored for Osijek in the 43rd minute for 1:2, which was the final score of the game. 

Osijek is currently in 7th place with 1 point, while Hajduk is in 3rd with 6 points. 

All games were played without the presence of spectators. You can see the full HNL table here. 

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August 22, 2020 - Everything is ready for Sunday's tense clash at City Garden Stadium in Osijek, against an always interesting opponent - Hajduk.

There is a lack of recently sold strikers, especially Mirko Maric, who now defends the colors of Monza, but also Antonio Mance, who was loaned to the Hungarian Puskas Academy. Coach Ivica Kulesevic has not yet decided whether Ante Erceg will play against Hajduk from the first minute. However, the blood count has improved because the recovered Petar Bockaj is returning to the team, and Laszlo Kleinheisler has trained all week, so he is expected to perform much better than in the first round match against Slaven Belupo when he played the last ten minutes.

"Erceg is physically good, he probably lacks competitive matches and training with the team, but we will bridge that quickly. His arrival gives us a wide range of possibilities when it comes to attacking because he can play in more positions," says Kulesevic.

Slobodan Kadic 

Although practically all the good that Osijek currently has will run on the pitch, there will still be no captain Mile Skoric who was suspended due to a reckless move and exclusion from the beginning of the match against Slaven Belupo. By the way, Skoric recently received a pre-invitation from Zlatko Dalic, the coach of the Croatia national football team for the Nations League matches against Portugal and France, which are scheduled for September 5 and 8 in Porto and Paris. However, he is not in the best shape at the moment.

Osijek residents have high hopes for Erceg, a former Hajduk player who did not really play in Brondby, Denmark. To acclimatize to Osijek, his former teammate from RNK Split, who plays for Osijek - Ante Majstorovic - will come in handy.

Slobodan Kadic 

"My first wish is to win against Hajduk. I am really glad to be in such a club that is ambitious and growing in every segment. Regardless of the opponent, I now play for Osijek. If I get the chance, it is only logical to do everything I can to make Osijek more successful in that derby in the end," Erceg pointed out.

Ramon Mierez is expected to arrive in Osijek, and sports director Alen Petrovic is constantly looking for new names. He is interested in Kristijan Kahlina, the goalkeeper of Gorica, but also another back midfielder and left-back to strengthen the competition in the team further.

Slobodan Kadic 

The Osijek pitch will burn on Sunday, and whether the home team will manage to overcome the always challenging Hajduk players who will present themselves in Osijek with a new coach, will be seen soon.

All that remains for Ivica Kulesevic is to arrange the dice together until the end.

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August 17, 2020 -Two shocking incidents, one in Darda, one in Mece, happened at around 10am this morning. Police have arrested a man.

Two children were this morning stabbed in the areas of Darda and Mece, just north of Osijek. The incidents happened at around 10am. The injured children were taken to the Clinical Hospital Centre in Osijek for treatment.

Police took a 49-year-old man into custody at approximately 10.40am. He is described as being a Croatian national. Further details about the man, such as his name and ethnicity, have not yet been revealed. It is understood police are not looking for anyone else in connection with the crime.

Local portal SiB.hr are reporting that the 49-year-old first stabbed a boy with a screwdriver at the NTL store in Darda, then returned to Mece by bicycle where he knocked down a girl on a hoverboard before stabbing her repeatedly.

Investigations into the incidents are taking place simultaneously in Darda and Mece, lead by the Deputy County State's Attorney from Osijek in cooperation with Osijek-Baranja Police. After being examined, one of the children was released from hospital and sent home with minor injuries. The other has been kept in for treatment. Police expect to release more information in the next 24 hours.

August 17, 2020 - The latest news from around Croatia’s airports for flights to Croatia with updates for Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik, Rijeka, Zadar, and Osijek.

Croatian Aviation reports that Eurowings, a low-budget German airline owned by the Lufthansa Group, has announced its flight schedule for September this year. 

The company was among the first to establish regular traffic to Croatia, but as the end of the summer season approaches, Eurowings will also reduce the number of weekly flights to specific destinations.

Find the complete flight schedule to Croatian destinations below. 

40 operations a week to Split

Split Airport will still have the largest number of Eurowings flights. Moreover, the number of weekly flights in September will be higher than in August!

Split - Dusseldorf will operate 4 times a week (Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays), one flight less per week compared to August,

Split - Hamburg will operate 4 times a week (Mondays, Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays), one flight extra than in August,

Split - Cologne will operate 5 times a week (Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays twice a day and Sundays), one extra flight than in August,

Split - Stuttgart will operate 4 times a week (Mondays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays),

Split - Hannover will operate once a week, on Saturdays,

Split - Berlin will operate twice a week (Tuesdays and Saturdays), one extra flight compared to August.

Rijeka and Zadar see reduced traffic, the line to Osijek is canceled

As for the traffic to the three airports mentioned above, the number of weekly frequencies will decrease in September:

Rijeka - Dusseldorf will operate once a week, on Saturdays (one flight less per week compared to August),

Rijeka - Hamburg will operate once a week, on Sundays,

Pula - Dusseldorf will operate once a week, on Saturdays,

Zadar - Cologne will operate once a week, on Saturdays,

Zadar - Stuttgart will operate twice a week until September 9, after the mentioned date once a week, on Sundays,

Osijek - Stuttgart line will not be in operation in September this year.

Eurowings returns to Dubrovnik

As announced earlier, Eurowings will re-establish traffic to Dubrovnik in September. Initially, the company planned to launch four lines, but canceled the line from Cologne.

The following lines are planned for September this year:

Dubrovnik - Dusseldorf will be in traffic once a week, on Sundays,

Dubrovnik - Berlin will be in traffic once a week, on Sundays,

Dubrovnik - Hamburg line will be open once a week, on Sundays.

Zagreb connected with Stuttgart and Cologne

In September, Eurowings will continue to operate two routes to Zagreb Airport, from Stuttgart and Cologne.

Zagreb - Stuttgart will operate 4 times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays,

Zagreb - Cologne will operate 5 times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Sundays, which is one flight more than in August.

In total, Eurowings will have 76 weekly operations (takeoffs and landings) at 6 Croatian airports in September.

For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily. 

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August 17, 2020 - The Croatian First League first round of the 2020/21 season was held from August 14 to 16, 2020. The opening round saw Dinamo embarrass 2019/20 season runners-up Lokomotiva, while Hajduk started with a win at home. Due to epidemiological reasons, all games were played without spectators. 

Varazdin v. Gorica (1:5)

Varazdin and Gorica opened the 1st round on Friday, August 14, 2020, in  Varazdin. 

Spikic scored the first goal for Gorica in the 39th minute for 0:1 at the half. Djurasek equalized in the 63rd for 1:1. A Mudrinski goal in the 81st put Gorica back in the lead, which was followed by three goals from the 90th minute by Doka, Canadjija, and Mudrinski for a final score of 1:5. 

Varazdin is currently in 9th place with 0 points, while Gorica is in 2nd with 3. 

Rijeka v. Sibenik (2:1)

Rijeka and Sibenik met on Saturday, August 15, 2020,  at Rujevica stadium. 

It was Sibenik to take the lead in the 9th minute thanks to a goal by Bulat - and Rijeka's Yakete didn't equalize until the 84th minute! A 90th-minute goal by Muric ultimately gave Rijeka the win. 

Rijeka is currently in 4th place with 3 points, while Sibenik is in 7th with 0. 

Osijek v. Slaven Belupo (0:0)

Osijek and Belupo met on Saturday, August 15, 2020, at City Garden Stadium.

A double yellow for Skoric has Osijek playing with 10 men from the 30th minute. Neither team was able to score. 

Osijek is currently in 5th place with one point, while Belupo is in 6th with one point. 

Hajduk v. Istra 1961 (2:0)

Hajduk and Istra met at Poljud on Sunday, August 16, 2020. 

While the first half went without goals, it was Dimitrov to put Hajduk in the lead for 1:0 in the 72nd minute. Gyursco increased Hajduk's lead to 2:0 with a goal in the 83rd minute, which was the final result. 

Hajduk is currently in 3rd place with 3 points, while Istra is in 8th with 0. 

Dinamo v. Lokomotiva (6:0)

Dinamo and Lokomotiva closed out the first round on Sunday, August 16, 2020, at Maksimir stadium. 

Two quick goals by Majer in the 6th and 27th minute put Dinamo in the 2:0 lead at the half. Gavranovic increased Dinamo's lead to 3:0 in the 50th minute, while goals by Orsic and Ivanusec in the 78th and 79th minutes made it 5:0. Andric scored the final goal of the match ten minutes later for the 6:0 result. 

Dinamo is currently in first place with 3 points, while Lokomotiva is in last with 0. 

You can see the full HNL table here. 

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page. 

July 29, 2020 - Just 20 days after the end of the 2019/20 season, the new Croatian First League (HNL) season will begin.

On Wednesday, in the presence of all clubs and the commissioner for the competition Josip Brezni, the draw of the competing pairs of the Croatian First League for the 2020/21 season was held, which determined the schedule of matches in the 30th Croatian Championship, which will begin on Friday, August 14.

The draw determined that the champion Dinamo and runner-up Lokomotiva will meet in the 1st round, while the other pairs of the 1st round are Osijek - Slaven Belupo, Hajduk - Istra 1961 / Orijent, Rijeka - Sibenik and Varazdin - Gorica.

The Championship will end on May 15, 2021, when Slaven Belupo - Varazdin, Rijeka - Gorica, Dinamo - Sibenik, Hajduk - Lokomotiva and Osijek - Istra 1961 / Orient will meet.

The biggest derby is scheduled for the 4th round, on September 12, when Hajduk welcomes Dinamo. The Adriatic derby between Hajduk and Rijeka is scheduled for the 5th round at Rujevica. One round later, Rijeka travels to Dinamo as guests.

The potential Rijeka city derby, if the Orient qualifies for the First League, will be played in the 3rd round. Osijek is facing a demanding schedule at the start, playing in the 2nd round against Hajduk, in the 3rd against Dinamo, and the 4th against Rijeka.

The last Championship, which was suspended for almost three months due to the coronavirus pandemic, ended only on July 25, and the Cup final between Rijeka and Lokomotiva is set for August 1 in Sibenik. The qualification playoff for the Croatian First League between Orient and Istra 1961 is still to be played. The first match will be played in Rijeka on August 2, and the return match will be in Pula on August 5.

You can read more about the Croatian First League here.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

July 27, 2020 - The 36th round of the Croatian First League was held on July 24 and 25, 2020. The final round of the 2019/20 season secured Dinamo, Lokomotiva, and Rijeka's place in the top 3, while Osijek and Hajduk finished 4th and 5th. 

Dinamo v. Varazdin (2:0)

Dinamo and Varazdin opened the 36th round on Friday, July 24, 2020, at Maksimir Stadium in Zagreb. 

Mayer scored in the 9th minute for the 1:0 Dinamo lead, and Cuze increased the lead to 2:0 in the 42nd minute for the final result. 

Dinamo finished the season in first place with 80 points, while Varazdin finished in 8th with 36.

Gorica v. Slaven Belupo (0:0)

Gorica and Belupo met on Friday, July 24, 2020, in Velika Gorica.

The game went without goals. 

Gorica finished the season in 6th place with 49 points, while Belupo finished in 7th with 39. 

Inter Zapresic v. Hajduk (1:4)

Inter and Hajduk met on Saturday, July 25, 2020, in Zagreb. 

While the first half went without goals, all the excitement was left for the second. Hajduk's Vuskovic received a double yellow in the 50th minute, forcing Hajduk to play with a man down for the remainder fo the game. Hajduk's Caktas scored seven minutes later for 0:1.

And own goal increased Hajduk's lead to 0:2 in the 63rd minute, and an Inter red card in the 72nd minute evened the playing field. Caktas scored again in the 75th minute for 0:3, Jradi scored in the first minute of added time for 0:4, and Adric got one goal in for Inter in the 93rd for 1:4. 

Inter finished the season in the last place with 17 points and will be relegated from the Croatian First League, while Hajduk finished in 5th with 60 points. 

Rijeka v. Istra. 1961 (4:2)

Rijeka and Istra met on Saturday, July 25, 2020, at Rujevica Stadium. 

Three goals from Colak gave Rijeka a 3:0 lead at the half. Yet another goal from Colak made it 4:0 for Rijeka in the 54th minute. Guzina decreased Rijeka's lead in the 60th minute to 4:1, while a Guzina penalty ended the game 4:2.

Rijeka finished the season in 3rd place with 64 points, while Istra finished in 9th with 25. 

Osijek v. Lokomotiva (1:2)

Osijek and Lokomotiva closed out the 36th round and the 2019/20 season in the battle for second place on Saturday, July 25, 2020, at City Garden Stadium. 

While the first half went without goals, Jakic scored for Lokomotiva in the 53rd minute for 0:1, and Osjiek's Maric equalized for 1:1 five minutes later. An own goal ultimately gave Lokomotiva the 1:2 win in the 88th minute.

Osijek finished the season in 4th place with 62 points, while Lokomotiva finished in 2nd with 65. 

All games in the final round were played without the presence of fans. 

You can see the full HNL table here.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

By the end of the year, up to five thousand gas users in Osijek will have the opportunity to read their gas meters on a monthly basis using digital technology thanks to four Croatian companies.

As Bernard Ivezic/Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 17th of July, 2020, this is the single largest gas metre digitisation project in the Republic of Croatia and the first to be done on the so-called 0G (zero G) network.

HEP Plin in Osijek, in cooperation with four Croatian companies that deal with technology, started upgrading the existing gas meters with devices which will enable the automatic sending of data over the Internet, and it will remain as such for the next ten years without the need for any additional interventions.

Damir Pecusak, Executive Director of HEP Plina, says that he is satisfied with the partnership of these Croatian companies and the solution that is being offered for the Eastern Croatian city of Osijek.

"The partnership of these Croatian companies in integration, hardware and software development resulted in the rapid implementation and ensuring of scalability, and the competence and commitment of IoT Net Adria partners from Sigfox's ecosystem proved to be a key success factor in developing a cost-effective and reliable automated gas meter,'' explained Pecusak.

The hardware device itself, which reads the status of the gas meter via a camera, does so several times a day, and encodes it so that it can be easily and quickly transferred further. It was developed by the Croatian company Byte Lab.

By the end of 2020, as many as 5000 users will get the opportunity to read their gas meters monthly using the most advanced technology.

This domestic R&D factory develops custom hardware for companies such as 3M, Philips and ABUS, and last year, it launched its debut hardware product. Multicom, which has developed a number of its own solutions in the field of billing and transaction monitoring, and the Osijek software company Axis are working on the software and other points of integration of this project.

HEP's subsidiary HEP Telekomunikacije (Telecommunications) provided a data acceptance service to the data processing platform, the second key part of the IoT (Internet of Things) solution, because it performs data verification and pairing with HEP Plin's billing system.

The data transfer itself was performed by the company IoT Net Adria, which manages the 0G network here in Croatia as part of the French startup Sigfox.

Ranko Rezek, CEO of IoT Net Adria, says that this is the first large-scale project in which all the advantages of 0G technology can be showcased. It is a wireless network, it operates throughout Croatia, and it specialises in the exchange of data between machines.

Previously, IoT Net Adria presented the first commercial user of its network, Marina Punat, who developed an IoT system that allows for the remote monitoring of the situation on yachts and which is already used by more than 400 yachtsmen.

''In Osijek, we've shown that a mix of smart devices with more than ten years of autonomy, our global IoT network and the capabilities of digital platforms, all allow utilities to quickly, cheaply and securely connect their readers anywhere in the country and thus increase efficiency, sustainability and customer satisfaction,'' noted Rezek.

He added that he sees this project as a pilot for the digital transformation of the entire gas industry in Croatia, as well as for increasing the value in that industry in general, from distributors all the way to the end users. He stated that the project reduces the cost of the manual reading of gas meters and enables the monitoring of the situation in the gas network in real time.

"The HEP Plina digitalisation project provides users with an insight into real consumption, estimates of consumption costs, as well as an analysis of historical and current data," concluded Rezek.

For more on Croatian companies, follow our business page.

July 8, 2020 - TCN travel series The Croatian Road Less Travelled with Marc Rowlands. In this edition, we visit Osijek in eastern Croatia, on the banks of the Drava river and look at things to do in Osijek 

Situated in the far east of Croatia, the city of Osijek is a sizeable distance from the regular coastal or capital city footfall of visiting tourists. Indeed, considering its history, importance and its vast, unique appeal, its surprising just how many Croatians you meet who have also never been to Osijek. Sitting on the banks of the Drava river, the city is the de facto capital of Slavonia and the administrative centre for Osijek-Baranja county and served as a strategically important outpost in the Roman, Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian empires. Osijek was the first city in Croatia to have a tramway and, after Rijeka, the first Croatian city to be serviced by an international train route (running to Pécs in Hungary via Beli Manastir, this very line was re-opened in 2018).


Osijek's Old Town, Tvrđa, is the largest and best-preserved ensemble of Baroque buildings in Croatia. It sits spectacularly by the Drava river, separated by the defensive walls of its Hapsburg-era fort © Romulić & Stojčić

Why visit Osijek?

Osijek is an incredibly beautiful place and perhaps Croatia's only option which simultaneously offers all the thrills of a genuine city coupled with incredible nature. It's possible to walk from one end of the city to the other passing only through statue-littered parks, the air is constantly fresh and, being Slavonia, the ground is entirely flat, making it a great place for bicycle enthusiasts. It's also a great place for swimming and other water activities such as fishing, rowing and boating. Osijek has a range of great nightlife options; three catering to fans of turbo-folk, two for those who prefer tamburica and Croatian folk music, one for students, one for the alternative crowd and several bars which host live music including jazz. Specialist monthly club nights offer drum n' bass, hip hop, house music and the techno night, Traum, is well known across Croatia and fronted by two of the country's finest DJs in the genre - Insolate and Volster.


Cooling off in the Drava river, right in the heart of the city - just one of Osijek's great swimming options © Romulić & Stojčić

Osijek has, by far, the longest waterfront promenade in Croatia. Both banks of the Drava are pedestrianised. On the side of the city, the prom is lined with parks, cafes, bars and restaurants built within converted river-cruising boats. This side also holds the impressive Osijek city walls, behind which lies the Old Town centre, Tvrđa. On the opposite banks, you'll be walking alongside wild nature, with the vast open-air swimming complex Copacabana at one end and Osijek Zoo at the other. Osijek's pedestrianised bridge links both sides in the middle; it's is one of the city's most iconic sights and looks particularly special at night when colourfully lit.


Osijek pedestrian bridge by night © Romulić & Stojčić

Osijek and wider Slavonia are Croatia's least-heralded gastronomic powerhouses. The cuisine here is as unforgettable as the warm Slavonian welcome. Paprika-rich stews such as čobanac (made with locally caught wild boar and deer), fish paprikaš and perklet are a clear influence of nearby Hungary and most attempts to faithfully reproduce them outside the region fall extremely short. Although all you'll ever hear about is pršut from Dalmatia and Istria, Slavonians are masters of curing pork and even have their own high-quality breed, Slavonian black. Authentic kulen from Baranja is unquestionably the highest quality sausage from Croatia and you'd have to look hard to top Slavonia's paprika or garlic-flavoured kobasice too. In Osijek, as in its wider region, you can go to a restaurant and order one of the best pizzas you'll ever try and pay the same as you would for a starter course on the coast.


A selection of Slavonian meats. Kulen is a speciality of Slavonia and Baranja, the best quality sausage made in Croatia. It is preserved, made from top cuts of pork, richly red from paprika and versions from both Slavonia and Baranja are protected at an EU level. You can spot the one from Baranja by its irregular shape © Romulić & Stojčić

If you're a fishing or hunting enthusiast, this is also the place for you – days floating down the Drava along the 15 kilometre stretch before its confluence with the Danube can be as unforgettable as the monster-sized fish you can catch here. Osijek also makes a great permanent base for travel in the wider region, with trips across the nearby Serbian and Hungarian border offering different cuisines and culture again. The Slavonian white wine industry can also be explored from here. Equidistant between Zagreb, Budapest and Zagreb international airports, it's conveniently placed on the intrepid backpacker's route too.


Rowing on the Drava river in Osijek. The city has produced several champions in the sport © Romulić & Stojčić

How to get to Osijek

Osijek has its own airport. With established internal and international routes, this holds huge potential for the city. However, it is not without its problems. That no public transport service runs between the airport and the city is shameful. Unless you know a local, your only option is a taxi, whose fixed rates are substantially higher than the 25 kuna maximum it will cost you to travel between any two points in the city itself. Conflict between budget airlines and authorities has resulted in some international routes being cancelled. Bargaining budget airlines demand lower landing fees in return for the tourists they can deliver into the local economy. But, largely, those using the routes are not tourists; they are locals from Croatia, Hungary, Bosnia and, in particular, Serbs from Vojvodina, for whom Osijek is the most convenient airport to fly to on their way back from work in Germany or Ireland. Why should Osijek subsidise their travel? One solution may be to implement a passenger landing fee which can be fully recouped by tourists via vouchers for any accommodation they take in the city or wider Slavonia.


Osijek train station, one way to arrive when you visit Osijek © Romulić & Stojčić

Osijek is well connected by bus; you can travel there from Belgrade and Novi Sad in Serbia, from Zagreb, direct from coastal regions Istria, Kvarner and Dalmatia and even from Montenegro, via Dubrovnik and Imotski. It is accessible by train from all of northern Croatia and Zagreb although the lines and stock have not been updated in so long that, shamefully, it's actually quicker to take the fast train from Zagreb to Vinkovci, disembark and take a local bus to Osijek than it is to travel on the direct train there from the Croatian capital.

Where to eat: Slavonska Kuća, Kod Ruže, Vrata Baranje or Čarda kod Baranjca are brilliant, informal places to try traditional Slavonian cuisine, including all dishes mentioned previously. Further out of the city, Ugostiteljski Obrt Varga in Bilje, Citadela and Darócz in Vardarac and Didin Konak in Kopačevo are really special versions of the same. Rustika is the best sit-down pizza restaurant in the city, has a lovely summer courtyard for dining and is extremely affordable.


The courtyard at Rustika, a great, casual place to dine and try Slavonska pizza when you visit Osijek © Grill pizzeria Rustika

Food to go / home delivery: Lipov Hlad and Pizzeria Novi Saloon do the best home delivery pizza in the city (Rustika deliver too). Other choices are thin on the ground, save for the standard fast-food chains and pekara (the El Pan bakery on the edge of Sjenjak hood does the best burek with meat).


Get to know Slavonian wine when you visit Osijek © Vinoteka Vinita

Where to drink: The simple but extremely passionate Vinoteka Vinita is one of the best places to try Slavonian and Croatian wines, with many top and rarer titles sold by the glass. If you're more into beer, Beertija in the modern city centre has a great range. General Von Beckers on Tvrđa is the best place to try the leading local craft ale, Beckers, but all of the bars on Tvrđa are worth investigating and during the summer their terraces stretch far into the historic square creating a unique atmosphere.

What's new? Osijek's football club is undergoing a renaissance following its purchase by new investors. An impressive new stadium is reaching completion and you shouldn't be surprised to see this team challenging for the top domestic titles, or reaching European competitions, in the near future.


Fiš paprikaš is a Slavonian speciality. Spicy from paprika, it is made from river fish and can often be seen being cooked in a large pot over a blazing open fire if you visit Osijek in warmer months © Romulić & Stojčić

What not to miss: The protected nature park Kopački rit is wonderful to visit at any time of year, a sanctuary for all manner of wildlife, particularly rare species of birds. On Tvrđa, Slama Land Art hosts workshops, art and music events and you'll meet great creative types there. There's an extreme sports event, Pannonian Challenge, which sees international competitors visit Osijek and an annual Osijek Beer Festival which feels more like a street party. There's also a music festival called UFO. Osijek Wine Days and the celebrations celebrating the end of term at the city's sizeable university are each year accompanied by great partying and music performances. Look up the art deco Cinema Urania. At over 100 years old, it's Croatia's best independent cinema outside Zagreb. If you're looking for something a little more upmarket than the aforementioned Copacabana outdoor pools, or if you're visiting in cooler months, the renowned Bizovac Toplice is close by and there are free bus shuttle services from the city. It's a sprawling spa complex with multiple pools, offering fun and wellness therapies. But, whatever you do, don't miss the extraordinary and varied architecture of Tvrđa or Slavonian cuisine.


Kopački rit. The nature reserve is a must all year round when you visit Osijek © Misalalic

What to buy: If you're heading somewhere else in Croatia after you visit Osijek, take some Baranja kulen with you for posh sandwiches. Slavonia is famous for its honey, which is protected at an EU level. Take some back home with you. Local designers Lega Lega make cool t-shirts and accessories emblazoned with words exclusively used in the local dialect. Pick up some Slavonian white wine when you visit Osijek. Graševina is the most commonly made white wine in Croatia and the most popular. They make the best Graševina in Slavonia, but also look out for Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc and Traminac too. There are countless excellent wine producers in Slavonia to look out for, including Kutjevo Graševina, Krauthaker, Galić, Trs, Adžić, Kolar, Enjingi, Antunović, Erdut and Iločki Podrumi.


'Lega' in local dialect is short for colleague. It is a term affectionately (and exclusively) used when speaking to someone from Osijek. Try using it when you visit Osijek © Lega-Lega

On these links you can read about the other destinations in our The Croatian Road Less Travelled series:

Ludbreg - a site of Holy pilgrimage where the historic meets the contemporary

Donji Miholjac - a hidden gem in the heart of the Pannonian basin

For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily. 

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